Ronald McDonald House Launches Annual Footsteps for Families Event at Historic Walkway Over the Hudson

Ronald McDonald House of the Greater Hudson Valley (RMHGHV) has announced that their annual event Footsteps for Families, Walk Over the Hudson is officially open for registration. This year’s event will take place on Sunday, April 27th. The walk will kick off at 12 pm on the Poughkeepsie side of the bridge in Dutchess County. Participants are encouraged to join the walk and raise funds to help RMHGHV continue supporting families during their child’s critical medical care. Each participant who registers for the event will receive a t-shirt and a special gift. There will be family fun activities, face painting, live music, raffles, and more for all attendees to enjoy. The historic Walkway is the world’s longest elevated pedestrian bridge and is surrounded on both the Poughkeepsie and Highland sides by restaurants, shops, trails and welcomes strollers and leashed dogs.
The Grand Marshal for the event this year is Elizabeth “Betty” Ann Schulte who will kick off the walk with her family, including her mom, dad and baby sister Alice. Little miss Betty Ann, who is now a thriving 3 year old, arrived early at 23 weeks and spent 171 days in the NICU at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital at Westchester Medical Center. Seven days after she was born she had open heart surgery to close her third valve. “From day one to when Betty got discharged RMHGHV was our rock and saving grace. It was home away from home that allowed us to be able to stay at our daughter’s bedside while she fought to stay alive and healthy. There were volunteers who made sure we had a home cooked meal at breakfast, lunch and dinner. We are so very blessed to have Ronald McDonald House in our lives and we will forever be grateful,” said Mom Danielle Schulte.

RMHGHV is hosting this event and encouraging participants to raise funds to help them reach their goal of raising $65,000 which will be used to support families who are coping through their child’s medical crisis. When families must travel far from home to access the medical care their child needs, RMHGHV provides hope, help and a home-away-from-home. Keeping families together and easing some of the emotional and financial burdens they experience when faced with a child’s medical crisis. The Presenting Sponsor for this year’s event is Trefz Family Restaurants and the two Platinum Sponsors include McDonald’s Opstad Consolidated and DARCARS Automotive Group with locations in Mt. Kisco and Greenwich.

“We are excited for the community to come together and join us in celebrating local families by participating in this annual event and help us raise funds to continue supporting families when they need it most,” said Brittany Moretti, Executive Director of RMHGHV. “When a child is sick the entire family needs comfort and support. Our House keeps families close to their child in their time of need.” To register a team for Footsteps for Families visit bit.ly/Footsteps25 For more information about Ronald McDonald House of the Greater Hudson Valley visit www.rmh-ghv.org